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We couldn’t leave Duluth without driving the Skyline Parkway in the hills above the city. An approaching weather front promised rain but the precipitation never materialized, bringing only cloudy conditions instead. Here is our last view of the Aerial Bridge taken just after another cargo carrier entered the port:
Heading north, we stopped in Hibbing to view the Hull-Rust-Mahoning Mine, said to be the largest open pit iron ore mine in the world. It is much, much bigger than what I can show in a single photo.
The pit measures 3 miles long by 2 miles wide and reaches a depth of 600 feet. Ever since the high grade iron ore ran out decades back, taconite has been mined in its place. This mineral has a lower iron content and, so, it is processed nearby to produce more concentrated iron in pellet form, perfect for transport. The iron ore being loaded in Duluth harbor may very well have come from this mine. Someday, when mining ceases, water will no longer be pumped out and a vast lake will cover the pit.
Of course, we had to pitch in and help out:
This is “our buggy”, built in the 70’s but retired in favor of newer, larger, more efficient machines.
Having reached International Falls, we’ll pause tomorrow morning for a tour of the Boise-Cascade paper mill before heading west. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed on the tour; a verbal description will have to suffice.